The ARK: Survival Evolved updates get bigger and bigger as the open-world survival game inches closer to official release. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One Game Preview versions received an update Tuesday that brings the two platforms in line with the recent PC update. Studio Wildcard has thrown a few console specific tweaks in there as well.

The PlayStation 4 version 507 and Xbox One version 754 updates are available now and approximately 8.79 GB for Sony’s console and 18.1 GB for Microsoft’s. There is also a separate Scorched Earth expansion update for the Xbox that weighs in at 4.7 GB.

Console Tweaks

Studio Wildcard has added the ability to direct whistle commands at groups of dinosaurs for console AKR: Survival Evolved players. The ability to hide tamed dinosaur names have also been added. This is extremely useful for tribes with large numbers of tames as breeding and egg-laying pens, in particular, become a mass of floating text. This can also help the performance of the game.

Note that Studio Wildcard is looking into reports of issues with dinosaur downloads and localization on the PlayStation 4, per Community Manager Jen via Twitter.

Volcano Goes Active with a new Tek Cave

[Image by Studio Wildcard]

As previously covered, the volcano on The Island map goes active with the 257 patch and has wiped out any structures and tamed animals that lingered around the top while adding lava and mysterious new cave entrance inside the mouth.

Not only is the volcano now filled with lava, but cave entrance also leads to the final Tek-themed boss cave in ARK: Survival Evolved. Survivors will need to gather artifacts by defeating the other bosses, fight their way through some hellaciously difficult enemies, and make their way to the arena to face off against the final boss and learn the secrets of the ARK. Additionally, up to 10 players and 50 tamed dinosaurs can enter the cave at one time. However, any tamed dinosaurs that enter will not be able to leave

Note that the end cave is not complete at this time. Lead Developer Jeremy Stieglitz explained on Twitter that what is there now is just a placeholder for the true ending.

This all leads to…

Ascension Game Progression

Studio Wildcard has introduced a prestige-like or a “New Game Plus” system to ARK: Survival Evolved. Survivors will be able to start their character over and face more difficult challenges in their quest to survive again.

Ascending grants up to an additional 15 character levels. This is dependent on the difficulty level selected when entering the cave (Gamma, Beta, or Alpha difficulty). The Survivor implant will indicate the difficulty level.

Survivor Reset (aka free Mindwipe)

Studio Wildcard has done a complete Engram revamp in ARK: Survival Evolved, which calls for all players to essentially get a free Mindwipe. Survivors will maintain their same level, up to level 100, and will have all of the stat points and engram points refunded. It will then just be a matter of reallocating the points once again.

New Dinosaurs

Giant Bee

[Image by Studio Wildcard]

The Giant Bees make their homes in the Redwood forest on The Island along with rocky cliffsides. They can also be found in the Canyons on Scorched Earth expansion. The drones are not tamable, but the queen bee can be tamed after drawing her out from the nest.

A tamed queen can be converted into a hive, which can be farmed for honey. The hive requires Rare Flowers to supply and the honey it produces can then be used to lure other dinosaurs to kill or tame.

Daeodon

[Image by Studio Wildcard]

The Daeodon can be best thought of as a support pig. A tamed version of the beast has the ability to heal itself and allies within a certain range by using the secondary attack. This obviously has significant benefits during boss battles, raids, and the like. The downside is the creature will burn through food at a prodigious rate.

Liopleurodon

[Image by Studio Wildcard]

Do you have bad luck when opening underwater crates or getting good loot off animals? Then you’ll want to tame a Liopleurodon. The creature provides a luck bonus to increase the chance of obtaining high-end loot. Just note that the finned beast yearns to be free and will become untamed and disappear after 30 minutes.

Kentrosaurus

[Image by Studio Wildcard]

The Kentrosaurus is a smaller, spikier cousin to the Stegosaurs. It can be tamed, but not ridden. However, it serves as an excellent base defender capable of impaling and essentially trapping attacking creatures and other players.

New Tek Items

Tek Cloning Chamber

[Image by Studio Wildcard]

Have a favorite tamed creature? Wish you had more of them? The Tek Cloning Chamber will do just as it says, produce an exact replica of the creature you put in it, down to the level, stats, and appearance. However, Survivors will need Element Shards crafted at a Tek Replicator station or by grinding the Element resource.

Tek Megalodon Saddle

[Image by Studio Wildcard]

Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers movies finally gets his wish. ARK: Survival Evolved now has sharks with laser beams on their heads.

Tek Turret

The Tek Turret is an upgrade over the existing Auto Turret. The defensive structure fires Element Shards to take out enemies and offers more targeting options for owners.

Tek Grenades

Grenades are already powerful in ARK: Survival Evolved. Now players can throw what is effectively a sticky grenade at enemies and animals.